Three people were bitten by sharks in separate attacks at Texas and Florida beaches on the Fourth of July. A 21-year-old Ohio man was bitten on his foot while playing football in knee-deep water at Florida's New Smyrna Beach. In Texas, four people encountered a shark off South Padre Island, with two being bitten and another injured while trying to help.
Two of the bite victims were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville for treatment. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department stated that shark encounters are not common in Texas and are usually cases of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food.
Reports indicated that at least four shark-related incidents had been reported at South Padre Island, likely associated with the same shark. Off-duty Border Patrol agents assisted in rescuing one victim and applying a tourniquet to their leg.
Beach patrol, fire, and police are actively patrolling the shoreline and using drones to monitor the area for the shark. A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter was deployed to deter the shark from approaching the shore after the encounters.
According to the International Shark Attack File, Texas has had less than 10 reported shark bites since 2012, ranking behind Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina, North Carolina, and California in reported incidents. The mayor of South Padre Island expressed sympathy for the injured and their families, wishing them a speedy recovery.
South Padre Island, located about 100 miles from Padre Island National Seashore, is known for its protected coastline and is the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world, dividing the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre.
